KILLER STORMS HIT SOUTHERN U.S.
EARLY WARNINGS CREDITED WITH SAVING LIVES

February 27, 2001 — A fast-moving Pacific cold front clashed with warm Gulf air over Texas, Arkansas and Mississippi Saturday, spawning severe thunderstorms, 75-mph straight line winds and killer tornadoes. While the storm system left at least seven people dead—including five in Pontotoc, Miss.—dozens injured and extensive property damage, the loss of life might have been worse, local officials said, without the early warnings provided by NOAA's National Weather Service. (Click NOAA image for larger view.)

"The life-saving early warnings provided by our local National Weather Service offices during this weather event represent the kind of performance that is possible because government services closest to the people are the most effective," said Bill Proenza, director of the National Weather Service Southern Region.

Strong winds downed trees, power lines, tore up fences and damaged roofs and mobile homes as the squall line moved through northern Texas, including the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex Saturday morning. An elderly Brownwood, Texas man died when his mobile home was blown over. No other deaths or serious injuries were reported in Texas.

NOAA's Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla., issued an outlook at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 23, highlighting a "slight" risk of severe thunderstorms over large portions of the Middle Mississippi Valley, eastern sections of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, southern Indiana, northeast Georgia and western Florida during the weekend. Midnight on Saturday, the SPC increased the outlook to a "moderate" risk of severe storms across parts of Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas and northeast Texas.

The NWS Forecast Offices in Fort Worth and San Angelo issued Hazardous Weather Outlooks, warning of the possibility of thunderstorms, damaging winds and hail—more than 24 hours before the front moved through.

By late afternoon on Feb. 24, the storms' fury increased as it entered a 10-county area of Arkansas, spawning at least seven tornadoes with touchdowns in Fulton, Pulaski and Lonoke Counties. Nineteen people were injured and a two-year-old boy died of injuries sustained when his parents' mobile home was destroyed in Fulton County.

Local officials credit advanced warning from the NWS Forecast Office in Little Rock with saving lives. The office provided a tornado warning 27 minutes before touchdown in Fulton County; 26 minutes before the Lonoke County touchdown; and 11 minutes before tornado damage occurred in Pulaski County. Nearly 100 homes, businesses and mobile homes were destroyed or damaged.

Just after 10 p.m. CST Saturday, isolated supercell thunderstorms developed ahead of the front in rural Pontotoc County, Miss., spawning a tornado that produced minor damage and quickly weakened. Ten minutes later, the tornado intensified and moved into the city of Pontotoc killing at least five people and injuring dozens of others. The deadly F2 tornado cut a 23-mile path destroying or damaging 360 homes.

Early tornado warnings from the NWS Memphis Weather Forecast Office, officials say, were responsible for saving lives in areas struck by tornadoes. The first tornado warning was issued at 9:41 p.m.—19 minutes before the tornado developed in Pontotoc County, and 29 minutes before the fatal touchdown in the city. (Pontotoc County is within the warning area of the Memphis office.)

The SPC said it received preliminary reports of 12 tornadoes during a 24-hour period, between 6 a.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. on Sunday. Other tornadoes were reported across parts of southwest Missouri, and Arkansas.

"This type of service from [NWS] offices provides critical early warnings which—when coupled with our partners, emergency managers and the media—provides life-saving minutes for the public to take action," Proenza said.

Relevant Web Sites
NOAA's Tornadoes Pages

NOAA's Storm Prediction Center

StormReady

The following National Weather Service Web sites are available to provide up-to-the-minute winter weather information.

Current winter storm watches, warnings and temperatures across the United States

NOAA's Climate Prediction Center — Winter Outlook 2000-2001

National forecasts that extend from three to 14 days in advance

Winter weather safety and preparedness tips to handle snow, ice, wind and bitter cold temperatures

Map showing the latest conditions over the United States

NOAA's Weather Page — includes latest satellite images and weather maps

NOAA's National Weather Service Office of Climate, Water, and Weather Services

NOAA's National Weather Service's Hydrometeorological Prediction Center

NOAA Weather Radio

Media Contact:
Ron Trumbla, National Weather Service Southern Region, (817) 978-4613 ext. 140

 

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